Seeker News - Issue 7

Page 1

Free

issue 07 – SEPTEMBER 2012

Going for

gold

How business can learn from Team GB’s success

Camp bestival legacy Fun in the sun at the castle

What did the Games do for us?

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What happened to the disaster we expected? Olympic numbers

Laura Trott and Sir Chris Hoy with their Olympic haul

14.6 million The number of people that saw the Olympic Flame on its journey around the UK and Northern Ireland.

6

The number of gold medals that make Sir Chris Hoy our most successful Olympian ever.

45

The number of minutes on Super Saturday it took for Jessica Ennis, Mo Farah and Sir Chris Hoy to win gold medals.

7.4 million

S

o that was the Olympics then. Seven years of hype finally materialised into reality. I’ve got to admit that I was sceptical in the run-up to the Games, the never ending stories of mismanagement, the overblown slogans – “Time to Shine”, “ Inspire a generation” – it all seemed a bit like a disaster waiting to happen. Then the unexpected happened. From the moment that Danny Boyle’s opening ceremony burst into life – and let’s face it, we were all expecting a halfhearted, embarrassing excuse for a show – to the unbelievable performances and best medal haul since 1908, the Olympics overdelivered every step of the way. Business can learn a lot from Team GB’s success, it’s no surprise that the best performance coaches can work across a Seeker News is published by Seeker Editor: Steve Cook – steve@seeker.uk.com

The number of people visiting Olympic venues across the UK.

1 billion

The number of people worldwide that watched the opening ceremony.

Steve Cook

£13 billion

Editor Seeker News

variety of fields. The principles of head space, commitment and focus apply to everything in life whether it’s in your relationships, your business or training for that Olympic gold at Rio 2016. We all had an amazing two weeks, now let’s get back to work and make this country great again!

Writers: Steve Cook, Nick Churchill

Deputy editor: Nick Churchill – nick@seeker.uk.com

Photography: Steve Cook Siân Court – sian@seeker.uk.com

Associate editor: Dawn Cook – dawn@seeker.uk.com

Design: Seeker

How much economic benefit the government says we can expect from London 2012 in the years ahead.

2 million

The record number of Paralympics tickets already sold as the Olympics ended.

Seeker PO Box 4983, Poole, BH15 3ZX 01202 611163 www.seekernews.co.uk Join us on Facebook – www.facebook.com/ seekernews © 2012 Seeker. All rights reserved.

pictures: pages 3, 16, 14 Adidas; pages 1, 4, 5, 19 department for culture, media and sport; page 4 Creative Commons – josh hallett (hkuku) seekernews.co.uk 3


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Sometimes you are going to lose The most successful people know that winning isn’t everything – but wanting to win is. After winning the prestigious final stage in the Tour de France thanks largely to team-mate (and overall race winner) Bradley Wiggins’ clever tactics, the nation was expecting cyclist Mark Cavendish to breeze to Olympic victory in the road race. Team GB’s aim had been to set Cavendish up in a good position in the leading pack to enable him to use his trademark sprint to the finish to take gold. When a group of riders broke away and opened up a gap it changed the race and Team GB had no Plan B. No matter how great your plan, if that’s all you’ve got your competitors will always know what they have to beat. Unpredictability and flexibility are as common in business as they are in sport – make great plans, but have alternatives and be prepared to adapt. As British cycling performance director Dave Brailsford said: “If you want to win big, you’ve got to be prepared to lose big. On this occasion, it was a big loss, but if you’re not willing to put yourself at risk in that sense then there’s no point being in this kind of arena.”

Speed is of the essence

Speed wins gold medals and sets world records, but it is also an essential attribute for successful businesses – speed to implement new ideas, speed to scrap failing ones and speed to recognise an opportunity. Even before the opening ceremony Olympic organisers had to apologise to North Korea’s women footballers after a blunder saw their faces shown on big screens alongside South Korean flags. The mistake led to a North Korean protest delaying the kick-off in their match against Colombia by more than an hour. Meanwhile, sharp-witted advertising bods sprung into action and released an advert the next day suggesting officials should have gone to Specsavers. When we launched Seeker News magazine earlier this year we went from concept to print in only 14 working days. If we’d delayed and procrastinated we’d probably still be talking about it now rather than celebrating our seventh issue. If you have a good idea act on it, forget the fear. After all, what’s the worst that can happen?

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Have faith

There are times when you can tell the winners and losers before the event is run just by looking at them. How many times have you seen an England footballer step up to take a penalty and seen the fear and defeat in their eyes before they’ve even kicked the ball? Usain Bolt knew that he would win two individual golds at the Olympics,so did Mo Farah. They didn’t hope they would, or think they would, they knew.

Both knew they would peak when it really mattered. Watching them run you were treated to peerless displays, in which self belief flowed from each of them, the way they spoke, the way they stood, the way they ran. As Sun Tzu said in The Art of War: “Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win.”

Learning the

OLYMPIC lessons Brad all over

This summer, Bradley Wiggins became the first Briton to win the Tour de France and one of our most decorated Olympians, but his success has much to teach the business community. z By training less often but always racing to win, he got used to leading rather than chasing the field. Learning to think differently helps you feel differently about yourself and feeling like a winner is half the battle. z You learn as much from failure as you do from success, so revisit your mistakes and learn their lessons. Although Wiggins drew inspiration from swimmers’ training – working at top intensity rather than slowly building up – he had to be sure to conserve enough power to finish a time trial as strongly as he started it. z Bradley Wiggins’ record as team member is as impressive as his solo efforts. Effective leadership also serves the needs of seekernews.co.uk

words: STEVE COOK & NICK CHURCHILL

others, as when Wiggins led out the team to set up Mark Cavendish to win the prestigious final stage of the Tour de France. You create a potent force when all team members understand and share the same goals, then work together in the pursuit of them. z It’s important to plan thoroughly, but those plans are open to change at a moment’s notice. z Wiggins said he planned for every eventuality before the Tour de France, from crashing out to winning, all he had to do was execute the plan. If you know exactly where you’re going and what you’re working to achieve, your actions will fall in line with those goals. z Success brings many rewards, but don’t get too carried away. As soon as Bradley Wiggins got home he made it his first job to take his son to a rugby camp in Wigan. The integrity and authenticity of his actions show he knows the vital role his home team plays in his success. seekernews.co.uk 5


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Anti-social media Digital technology has made a huge impact on the Olympics, not least because it cost a few athletes – including a Greek triple jumper and Swiss footballer – their places at the Games after sending offensive tweets. It’s worth remembering that whatever you post and share in social media reflects on your company brand. And the same goes for your employees. Incidents must be dealt with case-by-

case, but outlining a social media policy and extending company guidelines relating to interactions between colleagues and customers to cover the virtual world allows you to at least raise the subject. If an incident occurs don’t hide and wait for the heat to die down, it won’t. Be decisive, act quickly and resolve the issue.

It’s all about the team

We all know that you get nowhere without your team, whether it’s your employees and business advisors or your Olympic trainers and supporters. Even when the final performance is all down to an individual it’s the support team that help train, prepare and motivate you. Make your team feel part of your success, share it with them, thank them. When golden girl Jessica Ennis thanked her fans on Facebook for their support they responded with 205,931 likes, 9,687 comments and 6,331 shares (at the time of writing). Thanking people gives them ownership of the success and they’ll support you again next time you need it. Whatever you do, don’t forget your team at home, it’s difficult to achieve balanced success in life when you neglect your family and friends.

It’s only pain Amazingly when US runner Manteo Mitchell felt his leg break halfway through his leg of a 4x400m relay heat he carried on and was only one second off his target time. “I didn’t want to let the three guys or the team down, so I just ran on it,” he said afterwards. The difference between success and failure is frequently the ability and willingness to do the painful things that others shy away from. Whether it’s making those sales calls, asking yourself the painful questions required to improve your performance, or running with a broken leg.

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SeekerNews SeekerNews

Caution as billions in loans to be unleashed T he Bank of England’s multi-billion pound scheme to make cheaper loans available to businesses and individuals has won the cautious backing of company directors in Dorset. Under the recently announced Funding For Lending scheme the Bank of England will make funds available to lenders at cut-price interest rates in an attempt to curb the rising cost of borrowing and boost lending which has fallen 16 per cent since its peak in 2008. “Entrenched problems require innovative solutions and the Funding for Lending scheme is an imaginative attempt to boost bank lending,” says Graeme Leach, Chief Economist at the Institute of Directors, in a statement supported by Dorset chairman Warren Munson. Banks will initially be able to borrow the equivalent of five per cent of the amount they currently lend. If they increase their lending, they will be able to borrow more. The loans will be spread over a four-year period and charged at just 0.25 per cent interest – much less than it costs to borrow on the wholesale money markets.

“The Funding for Lending scheme provides real incentives for the banks to lend more using the ‘collateral swap’ with the Bank of England,” says Graeme Leach.

“The Bank of England will lend Treasury Bills to the banks, in the hope that they will use them to provide more and cheaper loans to companies and consumers. And the more the banks lend, the cheaper it will be for them to fund that lending.” The amount lenders can borrow at cheaper rates is effectively unlimited, but the first allocation is expected to be worth £80bn, or five per cent of the current stock of lending. The Bank of England is to monitor lending levels, but will not be liable for any losses on the loans which must be borne by the banks not the taxpayer. “All in all it’s a very sensible package, which the IoD welcomes. But there’s one snag: improving the supply of loans matters little if companies and consumers don’t have the confidence to borrow.”

Tourism goes O2

This year’s Bournemouth Tourism Awards will be hosted by the O2 Academy in Boscombe on November 22. Local tourism businesses including hotels, guest houses, B&Bs, restaurants, attractions, cafes, nightclubs, bars and shops as well as local tourism service providers, sightseeing and coach operators are invited to enter in an effort to celebrate the success of Bournemouth and its tourism industry. To nominate your business email amy.habgood@bournemouth.gov.uk or call 01202 451751.

Car crime surge

Dorset Police is urging drivers to make sure they take simple steps to keep their cars secure. The move follows a recent increase in car crime in Poole with 181 offences recorded between June 15 and July 24. Poole Safer Neighbourhood Officer, Police Constable Suzie Corsie-Mackay, said: “I am encouraging motorists to ensure they do not leave their cars unlocked. “On some occasions, members of the public are leaving their cars completely unlocked allowing thieves to simply open the car door and steal whatever is inside or drive the car away.”

Olympic fever ran high at local insurance broker Alan & Thomas thanks to an in-house competition which saw the 60-strong staff at the company’s Poole and Gillingham offices go headto-head. The Going For Gold contest, dreamt up by Gillingham-based account handler Allan Potter, split staff into 12 teams

each assigned a number of Olympic events with points awarded on whether a Great Britain or Commonwealth team or athlete won a medal. Alan & Thomas offices were decorated with an Olympic theme and a Dress Down Day raised money for Wessex Cancer Trust, the company’s charity of the year. seekernews.co.uk 7


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Fame finds those with a love for Dorset T he hunt is on to find the first five inductees for the inaugural Dorset Hall of Fame. The search, organised by Heart 102.3 and Teachers Building Society, is to honour the people who have helped, inspired, or demonstrated their love of Dorset. Nominations for family members, friends, colleagues or celebrities who have put Dorset on the map are being welcomed from this month and a panel from Heart 102.3 and Teachers Building Society will chose five winners who will be inducted into the Dorset Hall of Fame in October. “The Dorset Hall of Fame is a fantastic opportunity for us to recognise and thank everyday people who work incredibly hard to make Dorset the wonderful county it is,” says Heart 102.3 presenter Toby Anstis. “Teachers Building Society is delighted to team up with Heart to sponsor the Dorset Hall of Fame awards,” says Alan Gravett, head of sales and marketing. “Almost all of our staff live in Dorset and we all see examples of how local people provide amazing help and support to their neighbours, so it’s fantastic to be able to recognise these worthy efforts with this high profile awards event.”

Forest in the final

New Forest Nightstop, the free short-term emergency accommodation project based in Ringwood, is in the final of the National Lottery Awards. The only emergency overnight accommodation in the New Forest for homeless people aged 16-24, will now enjoy the limelight at an awards ceremony later this year to be shown on BBC One. “This is an exceptional achievement by every single one of our supporters across the New Forest and beyond and demonstrates how significantly everyone has pulled together,” says project coordinator Jude Todd. A second round of public voting starts this month. Details at www.newforestnightstop.org.uk.

From left, Kate Hollis from Heart, Alan Gravett from Teachers Building Society, JK & Lucy from Heart

Helicopter help

The Dorset Hall of Fame inductees will be named at a ceremony on October 18 at the Pavilion Ballroom, Bournemouth hosted by Toby Anstis with Heart Breakfast favourites JK & Lucy.

Mark of quality

South Dorset MP Richard Drax has relaunched a petition to save the Portland Coastguard helicopter, which faces the axe in 2018 because of budget cuts.

Williams Thompson Solicitors LLP in Christchurch has been admitted to the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme, the mark of excellence for the home buying process.

The online petition had been signed by 18,000 people at the government’s e-petition site, but was due to expire at the end of August.

The practice underwent rigorous assessment by the Law Society in order to secure CQS status, which marks it out as meeting high standards in the residential conveyancing process.

“I fear this could cost lives unless there is a rethink,” said Mr Drax. “We must get a proper discussion in Parliament about the loss of this very valuable asset.” Mr Drax has also written to transport secretary Justine Greening to invite her to Dorset for a consultation on the matter.

The scheme requires companies to undergo a strict assessment, compulsory training, self reporting, random audits and annual reviews in order to maintain CQS status. It is open only to members of the Law Society who meet the demanding standards set by the scheme. seekernews.co.uk 9


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A family welcome

A relationship breakdown can be a painful and worrying time of life. At Letchers we have a committed and experienced team of family lawyers who will listen carefully to your circumstances and offer you advice and solutions that will meet your needs and expectations. Our aim is to move you forwards to a brighter future by utilising the now various methods for dispute resolution. We have both Collaboratively Trained and Accredited Mediation Lawyers, if that is the option you prefer. • Financial Settlements on Divorce • Civil Partnerships • Children Matters • Pre-Nuptual Agreements • Cohabitation Disputes • Living Together Agreements

Do You know a ROCK ? Announcing: The Rock Star of the Future Awards The lifeblood of any industry is its new recruits. Rock Recruitment are launching an exciting awards event to celebrate talented business people aged between 16 and 26 in Dorset and the companies that develop them into the business stars of the future. www.rockstars.uk.com

Sponsored by:

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Michael Stocken and Ianthe Slinger are delighted to welcome Melanie to the family team at Letchers. Ianthe says: “Melanie is well known to the professional and business community in Bournemouth and it is very exciting that she has now moved to work in Ringwood and Verwood. “Melanie is an extremely experienced family lawyer whose work has encompassed assisting a whole range of family law clients from high net worth individuals going through divorces or needing prenuptial agreements, to parents in receipt of benefits facing their children being removed from their care. “Melanie’s clients speak warmly of her professionalism, her concern

not to run up unnecessary legal costs and, above all, her genuine concern for each and every client she represents.” Melanie is a collaboratively trained lawyer and a Resolutionaccredited specialist and works to assist clients reach agreements rather than suffer the financial and emotional strain of court proceedings Melanie says: “This is a really exciting opportunity for me. Letchers has a refreshingly dynamic and clear vision of how the firm is placed to help the wider community. I have known Michael and Ianthe professionally for many years and it is tremendous to finally be able to work with them.”


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Go to town with business opportunities Publish your own magazine or grab a slice of the organic market with seeker

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eeker is offering an opportunity to start your own business for as little as £45. The one-off fee buys a mini-starter kit for Seeker Organics, which sets up new members with their own business selling the Neal’s Yard range of premium health and beauty products. With the full support of Dawn Cook and the Seeker Organics upline, the business offers free training and gives new starters a complete business programme to follow, rewarding sales targets with increased commission. Further business opportunities are available in the SeekerTown magazine partnership scheme. Utilising the expertise and professionalism of the Seeker team, SeekerTown offers the chance to set up and run your own community magazine. Rather than print generic free-to-use articles, SeekerTown magazines are packed with local news and views, representing a highly cost-effective advertising option for businesses and community organisations, no matter what the budget. There’s a variety of affordable

Sun like it hot

Solar panels at seven major sites operated by Sembcorp Bournemouth Water (SBW) are expected to save carbon dioxide emissions equivalent to taking 134 cars off the road. The 960 panels have been installed at SBW’s Alderney, Christchurch, Fordingbridge, Horton, Longham, Ringwood and Wimborne sites. The process took six months to plan and connect into the water supply company’s existing electrical infrastructure. SBW uses in the region of 30 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity per annum to pump 150 million litres of water each day to about 185,000 households and 16,500 businesses in Dorset, Hampshire and Wiltshire. The solar panels will generate more than half a million kilowatt hours of electricity a year – enough to boil ten million kettles of water.

Fighting fit

An intrepid team at self-defence and fighting specialists, Essential Krav Maga in Bournemouth, completed the Three Peaks Challenge in 23 hours to raise money for Wave 105’s Cash for Kids campaign. The team – Adrian Whiting, Bryony Tyrell, Dan Thomas, Jim Maidment and Martin Slater – climbed the three highest peaks in England, Scotland and Wales: Scafell Pike, Ben Nevis and Snowdon.

Atonic power

Poole-based Dorset Web have recently acquired web development company Atonic.

advertising options, from full pages and advertorials for clients who would like to present their business in their own words, to part pages and marketplace adverts for teasers and campaign building. For more details about Seeker Organics contact dawn@seeker. uk.com and to find out more about SeekerTown email steve@seeker. uk.com

The firm was started 12 years ago and has established a large client base in food and holiday businesses in West Dorset. Atonic also runs five county directories covering Dorset, Somerset, Devon, Cornwall and Hampshire with more than 15,000 businesses registered. Dorset Web is to revamp the Dorset directory and local companies can add details for free at www.dorset-info. co.uk.

Rescue remedy

Safety equipment supplier IC Brindle of Poole followed the Olympics closely – but not for medals. For the local firm, which provides marine and other safety equipment worldwide, supplied emergency rescue equipment for the venues and Olympic Village including waterside safety equipment to protect the canals and swimming venue pools, as well as safety boats and equipment during the construction of the venues. seekernews.co.uk 11


Keep it real!

Use real photos of real people. People buy from people they know and trust. The problem is that you can’t always talk to your customers face to face. That’s why real photos are so important. They let people know who kn you are and are the easiest way to create more credibility.

Seeker Photo can update your images from as little as £50 So trash those stock photos, call us now on 01202 779604 and get real!

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SeekerNews A multi-million pound biogas plant which turns food waste into energy is due to open at Piddlehinton this month. Eco Sustainable Solutions’ £3.3 million anaerobic digester will supply electricity and gas to Mole Valley Farmers’ neighbouring Dorchester Feed Mill, which will also receive electricity from a photovoltaic plant converting solar radiation into energy. The new plant is housed on a 2.5 acre site at Bourne Park Estate, Piddlehinton, previously used for pig units and will take in up to 15,000 tonnes of organic waste annually, as well as up to 6,000 tonnes of pig slurry to create methane gas. Eco Sustainable Solutions, a former Dorset Company of the Year, is one of the UK’s leading organics recycling firms, processing 150,000 tonnes of material a year. End products include turf, enriched topsoil, compost and wood chip.

£2m grant for Bournemouth

B

ournemouth is among the first coastal communities to win government funds to boost the local economy. The resort has been awarded £2 million – the largest grant available – to create Europe’s first national coastal tourism academy. Funds will also support tourism businesses and it is thought the project will create 165 jobs over three years in Bournemouth. The money was announced by communities secretary Eric Pickles on a visit to Bournemouth last month and is to come from the £24 million Coastal Communities Fund launched earlier this year. Mr Pickles said the fund would be increased to £28 million next year. z The man who helped instigate Dorset’s controversial artificial surf reef has said he believes alterations should be considered. David Weight, who has been credited with the initial concept for the Boscombe surf reef, told the BBC he

wants to see it preserved and modified. The reef was created to enhance waves for surfers but has been criticised for not working properly. Opponents say the £3.2m reef, which has been out of action since March 2011 after being damaged by a boat propeller, should be demolished. But Mr Weight, of Poole, told the BBC: “The problem lies with the reef’s top layer, not the whole structure. “The base is sound and secure and has already become a habitat for hundreds of fish and marine life. It may be possible to clear the damaged bags from its top layer and then look at replacing them with fewer, lighter ones.” Bournemouth Council has recouped £196,000 in insurance claims and is awaiting the outcome of a second claim before considering its next option. A deadline imposed by the council for New Zealand-based builder ASR to carry out repairs passed without any action in May.

Marine moves

The opening of the south’s first dedicated Marine Technology Centre in Poole has moved a step closer. Building work on the structure of the new centre at the North Road campus of Bournemouth & Poole College is almost complete. The first intake of around 140 students including 80 apprentices is due to arrive in the next few weeks and a team of four expert boat bulders and marine engineers has recently been recruited to work alongside college engineering and construction specialists, headed by Richard Warburton and Mark Loose. More than £250,000 has been spent creating the new facility which is closely supported by Poole-based Sunseeker International, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of luxury motor boats.

Risk assessment

Leading scaffolding safety firm Simian Risk is continuing its expansion into the south of England with the appointment of Bournemouth-based specialist Tristan Kelly as senior consultant. Tristan will oversee a range of projects, including a new contract to provide health and safety support for national media display and solutions company Blink Giant Media which specialises in event displays, building wraps and scaffolding wraps and large-scale signage. seekernews.co.uk 13


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Return of awards

Innovation, quality and commitment to Poole’s tourism industry will be celebrated as the Sibbett Gregory Tourism Awards return.

Now in their ninth year, the awards showcase the achievements of Poole’s tourism industry that contributes nearly £200million to the local economy and the ceremony takes place at the FJB Harbour Heights on October 4.

Great Britain’s Olympic success should be seen as a springboard for Dorset business

Shiny, golden opportunity for south west H undreds of business people from across the region were at the launch of the weeklong British Business Pavilion Olympic legacy event at Weymouth College last month.

The largest business networking event outside London during the Games, the British Business Pavilion set out to reflect the British Business Embassy events at Lancaster House in London and was dedicated to showcasing the south west as a thriving business community while encouraging businesses to explore overseas trade opportunities. Delivering the opening address, Nick Baird, chief executive of UK Trade and Investment (UKTI), said: “At a time when domestic demand is constrained, we have to further improve on the international platform to get growth back into the economy. “With the Olympics, there is real interest in businesses here at the moment and we have to take advantage of that. “The south west is very strong in creative industries, food and drink and defence, and these are industries where 14 seekernews.co.uk

there is massive demand globally for the services they provide.” Each day of the British Business Pavilion focused on a different market sector, including the creative industries; marine and tidal renewable energy; urban environment and infrastructure; retail, food and drink; and advanced engineering. Participants from the region included AgustaWestland, RNLI, The Met Office, Clarks, Regen South West, Clipper Teas, Dorset Cereals, New Look and Bright Blue Day. The five day event was organised by UKTI South West, with Dorset Chamber of Commerce, Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership and Weymouth and Portland Borough Council. z Government minister, Danny Alexander, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, said he hopes the legacy of the Games “echoes down the years”. Speaking on a visit to Weymouth on the last Saturday of the Games he said: “The more people that see and hear about Weymouth and have been here during the Olympics, hopefully those people will come back.”

A new award, Supporting Poole Tourism, has been included in recognition of business partners outside of Poole, whose excellence and innovation contributes to Poole Tourism’s success.

Fuel deal

An acquisition deal involving two leading south coast fuel distributors has seen Southampton-based WP Group take over Upton Oil Company, which has depots in Poole, Dorchester, Ringwood and Brockenhurst. The tie-up brings the new combined fleet of fuel tankers to more than 40, along with 75 staff, covering a territory stretching from Dorset to Sussex and up to London. David Fairchild, MD of WP Group, which is the supplier and support provider to thousands of businesses and householders, stressed that Upton Oil Company’s customers will receive a seamless service from the new owner.

Web promotion

A major new website is being launched to promote Dorset as the place to do business. Set up by the Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership, www. investindorset.co.uk showcases Dorset as the obvious location for new investors. The site will play a key role in putting Dorset firmly on the map for potential businesses and employers. An interactive map and access to a live database to view available property and land are just some of the website’s key features.

Smoke signal

Less than a year since the brand launched, Chesil Smokery in Bridport has picked up awards for its Smoked Duck Breast, Smoked Chicken Breast, Hot Smoked Salmon, Smoked Kippers and Smoked Cod Roe in the Great Taste Awards. Run by the Guild of Fine Food, more than 8,500 products were entered into the most rigorous awards scheme in the UK. Food and drink is blind-tasted by more than 350 food specialists. The full Chesil Smokery range can be seen at www.chesilsmokery.com.


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Windsurfing silver medallist Nick Dempsey

What have the Olympics done for

words: ric summer pictures: Siân Court, ONEDITION

T

WO thirds of successful business leaders believe the Olympic Games will leave a positive legacy for the UK – with Portland and Weymouth businesses making sure they don’t miss out on the opportunities on offer. The figures come from the second Millionaire Monitor, an annual survey of 500-plus millionaires and multimillionaires by Skandia. According to the financial experts, 69.4 per cent of the entrepreneurs surveyed think London 2012 will boost the economy – leading to more business sites, space and amenities, competitive supply-chains, a world class infrastructure and exposure to the international spotlight.

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us?

One company determined to make the most of the Olympic and Paralympic Games is Weymouth-based firm DJ Property. The largest provider of commercial property in South Dorset with more than 160 properties on their books, DJ Property operates the Granby industrial estate and is building a new, 10-acre site called Link Park on the Chickerell Link Road. Owner Mickey Jones says the legacy of the Games for the region depended on the £89m relief road opened last year. “The relief road is the big thing – that gets people in and out of this part of South Dorset much quicker and will be the legacy benefit for this

region, but there’s also the intelligent traffic signals, car parking, real time information boards at the bus stops, the Olympic cycle network, the fibre optic network that has been delivered locally – all these are huge enablers for business in South Dorset,” says the 39-year-old. “They’ve also doubled the number of train services to London and you can’t underestimate that – the real benefit of the Games will be felt five, 10 and 15 years down the track. “The cameras pan over the Jurassic Coast, which is one of the most amazing coastlines in the world and millions of viewers see Chesil Beach, the Isle of Portland and tourism and hospitality will benefit tremendously.


seekerNews

“Lots of people may not make much money this year as some regulars keep away because it is busy, but you have got to realise awareness will be up for decades. “Previously regional businesses or national chains wouldn’t put a depot in Weymouth because the journey time to Dorchester was too long and variable, and the road was prone to congestion but now it’s a guaranteed 15 to 20 minutes at any time of day, and it has become a hub for South Dorset. “The benefit for local companies is they know how long it is going to take to get in and out – journey times are much more predictable. “We are very competitive down here, rents are not high, property is affordable – why does business have to be in a city? You could see pockets of knowledge-based businesses arriving here, as long as people can commute into London for meetings.” Tris Best, 33, is director of the Official Test Centre (OTC) UK, located within the grounds of the National Sailing Academy on Portland. Opening its first site in Tenerife in 2006, the Centre offers brands and consumers the chance to test and evaluate windsurfing equipment. “The reality is if the Olympics hadn’t come to town, we wouldn’t be here,” reveals Best, former features editor at Windsurf Magazine. “If the Olympic bid hadn’t been successful the area wouldn’t have been developed into what it is now, a world class venue. It’s a far cry from Athens and Sydney where the Olympic windsurfing was a two-week thing, in the build-up they spent a lot of money

Average positivity on Twitter during London 2012 by region (%) Courtesy edfenergy.com

but there was nothing there at the end of it. “As far as windsurfing is concerned, Portland has always been known as user-friendly and accessible but developing the pontoons, the breakwater and most of all the slipways means we have a venue and hosting area we can be proud of for many years to come. “It’s enabled us to significantly

develop part of the business,and we now have an RYA-accredited training centre that provides access to everyone from complete beginners to pro clinics allowing us to cater for all abilities. “The British mentality and character has been a breath of fresh air and everything is negotiable if they can see where you are going and they will work together with you.” The business, which has up to five members of staff during the peak season of May to October, derives around 65 per cent of its income stream in the UK from the training school and turns over around £150,000 a year. The OTC and other businesses are having to leave the site during the Olympics while it is used for competition, but Tris praises LOCOG for paying for branding on their semipermanent home to be removed and providing flatbed trucks and cranes to transport equipment. “We’ve capitalised on the natural resources of one of the best areas for sailing on the south coast to create a man-made centre of excellence,” he adds. Skandia’s Millionaire Monitor found that regeneration of deprived areas of London was the main bonus of the Games for 26.3 per cent of those surveyed, while 15.7 per cent believed there would be increased confidence in the UK as a centre of excellence. Males and those aged over 50 were the most polarised as to whether the Games would leave a lasting legacy, with 39 per cent of men saying there would be no legacy, which increased to 40.7 per cent for the over 50s. seekernews.co.uk 17


SeekerNews

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seekerNews

Doing what it takes to F our-time Olympic champion and BBC pundit Michael Johnson is one of a growing number of thinking athletes. In his book Gold Rush he analyses what it takes to make an Olympic champion and in the same way that writers like Dale Carnegie, Napoleon Hill and Tony Robbins find the key to success through others’ experiences Johnson has some lessons that are relevant whether you’re an athlete or an entrepreneur.

win

words: STeve COOk

DNA and commitment

Obviously some people are just born with a talent, they can run faster, jump higher or spot a business opportunity better than someone else, but that natural ability can only take you so far. Next comes the hard work and commitment to achieve your goals. “Athletes don’t just commit to becoming Olympic champions,” says Johnson. “Nor do they simply commit to the glory and reward of winning or accomplishing their goals. Those commitments are easy. They commit to consistently doing what they know it will take to be their absolute best day to day and hour to hour.”

The work ethic

Johnson points at the work ethic of Olympic greats like Sir Chris Hoy as an essential attribute of a champion. Despite the lack of coaches, money or any kind of recognised career path for his sport he decided to work it all out for himself. “I didn’t necessarily believe that I would be an Olympic champion, it would have been a ridiculous idea,” says Sir Chris. “My personal goal was to see how far I could go and to keep improving. I was not really worried about the outcome. It was one step at a time, when I made the next step that became my new point for starting from. I just kept looking for ways to get better.” He studied a degree in sports science to understand how to get the best from the human body and how to train it. He’d learn how to get the best performance on the bike by constant trial and error. Working with his team-mates Jason Queally and Craig McLean they’d watch each other and refine their technique through feedback. The group did well and despite being ontrack rivals helped each other to new heights in their careers – Queally won gold in the Sydney Olympics in 2000 and Chris Hoy? Well, I’m sure you’ve heard of his success by now.

Hunger

Michael Johnson also believes that hunger is a major contributor to success and that the too-much-toosoon contracts offered to some of today’s young athletes actually inhibit their ability to succeed by making them less hungry for it. As a college athlete Johnson had plenty of talent but no contracts, people recognised his potential but no-one rewarded him for it. “I knew I had to work harder because I kept getting injured. What have I got to do to get the opportunity? I’ve got to stop getting injured. Why am I getting injured? Because I’m not doing what I’m supposed to.” He knuckled down to his stretching and weight training, both things he hated doing. “I did the work and – boom! – instant, huge reward. Ranked number one in the world. I quickly realised that when I was hungry and went after something, I received a big pay-off.”

Belief and details

Head space and belief have long been recognised as contributors to success but there is a fine line between belief and arrogance. As Johnson candidly puts it: “Belief that you deserve or are entitled to win is crap. That will get you nowhere. The belief must be that you can take the talent that you have and support it with hard work. It must include figuring out how to work and train yourself most effectively to get the best performance possible. “For me attention to detail is everything. You can’t be perfect just by making sure that the big things are all OK. You have to make sure the small details have all been taken care of as well. “As an Olympian you are competing against the absolute best in the world so ability alone is rarely enough. “Even hard work isn’t enough. You need the drive that will compel you to make the sacrifices, even if you don’t call them that, necessary to be successful.” In your business do you have the belief, hunger and drive to make the sacrifices and difficult choices required to succeed? Gold Rush: What Makes An Olympic Champion? by Michael Johnson is published by HarperSport seekernews.co.uk 19


seekerNews

MARS

Made in Dorset and used on

S

pecialist tools made in Dorset are playing a vital role in mankind’s mission to find life on Mars. Two tungsten carbide drill bits designed and manufactured by The Hardmet Group in Winfrith Newburgh are attached to the Curiosity rover that is probing the Red Planet to discover if it could sustain any form of life. But Hardmet’s co-founder David Trickett, also a member of the Dorset Olympic Group responsible for delivering a legacy from the Games, had all but forgotten the company’s prestigious order until he saw BBC News reports of Curiosity’s landing on Mars last month. “I’d just got home from a day at the Olympic sailing events in Weymouth and sat down with a drink to watch the news and there were our bits on Mars!” says David. “We made them, sent them off, invoiced for them and got paid about 16-17 months ago and I’d forgotten about them to be honest. I called my business partner David Holmes and he was watching the same report and was just as amazed.” It is almost two years since the company was approached by Edinburgh University with a view to making two drill bits for an unspecified client. “But the chappie who rang didn’t know what type of

words: niCk CHurCHiLL

rock they were going to be drilling so I thought it was a wind-up. Eventually he told me the reason he didn’t know what type of rock it was – because they were working with NASA on the Mars mission – and we were able to come up with a design that suited their purpose. “It still took three months after we quoted for it to get the order though.” The two Davids are both highly qualified engineers and have worked together for 38 years, the last ten as coowners of The Hardmet Group. They are about to retire and are looking for a shareholder to eventually take over the company.

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SeekerPeople

senior appointments Jobshop UK: Lucy York

R

ecruitment specialists, Jobshop UK have appointed Lucy York to head up the company’s new executive division. Lucy joins the Bournemouth-based company having gained ten years’ experience in the financial sector, specialising in commercial banking and international trade. With her extensive contact base at board level and expert knowledge of the commercial sector, Jobshop UK directors Tracey Wood and Frances Miles see Lucy’s appointment as enhancing the company’s future expansion plans. “Lucy’s professional experience, coupled with her ability to build genuine relationships quickly through her proven business acumen, made her the perfect choice to head up our

Lester Aldridge LLP Ian White

new executive division,” explains Frances Miles. Lucy is keen to partner with companies to search and select the best talent for their business and working closely with executive candidates to find their next appointment. “I am really looking forward to the launch of our executive division,” says Lucy. “I have known Tracey and Frances for many years and I have always had a lot of respect for their high level of professionalism and personal approach.” Jobshop UK will officially launch its new executive division on September 21, but Lucy is already working on a number of opportunities and is eager to speak to executive candidates and clients who can contact her on 07725 818844.

Dickinson Manser: Katie Dudley & Susie Sanusi Dickinson Manser, Poole’s largest firm of solicitors, has appointed two new associates. Katie Dudley (pictured left) is managing the company’s Broadstone office and does a variety of commercial and residential property work, including sales, purchases, mortgages and leases, focusing particularly on acting for flat

management companies. Susie Sanusi is providing company/ commercial advice to clients, focusing on business sales and purchases, company re-organisations and other commercial and corporate agreements, continuing to work alongside partner Mark Daniels in the commercial and property team at the Poole office.

Ian White has been appointed Head of Marketing for leading south coast law firm Lester Aldridge LLP. Ian is an experienced professional services marketer and will be responsible for managing all Lester Aldridge’s marketing and business development activities.”

Saffery Champness Andrew Alder Andrew Alder has joined Saffery Champness chartered accountants as a partner based in the firm’s Bournemouth office. Andrew brings with him a wide portfolio of clients, which includes law firms and businesses in the hospitality sector.

Haskins Garden Centre Lisa Looker Lisa Looker has joined the £31 million turnover Haskins Garden Centre Ltd as its first Director of Marketing. Lisa, a former director at Queen of Shops, communications agency Yellowdoor, and Head of Marketing at HobbyCraft will be based with Haskins’ head office team at Ferndown.

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seekerNews

Sorting out the skills Harness your people by TERRY PORTER Rubicon People

The increasing skills shortage within the UK engineering sector is having a negative impact on engineering firms. Consequently, businesses are reluctant to release experienced engineers when they do not have sufficient work, for fear of not being able to replace them when the work does come in. To address this issue the government is injecting a second round of cash into its £25 million Higher Apprenticeship Fund. This funding aims to develop an additional 4,230 new apprenticeships within specialist engineering sectors. There is also an extra £6 million of funding aimed at creating a further 23,000 places for young people in the UK to learn engineering skills.

While this is great news for the engineering industry, it is no quick fix. With the current climate, the majority of advertisements for engineering jobs are met with an inundation of applicants; many of whom will not have the required skills to do the job. Sifting through applicants requires experience, patience and time. Rubicon People’s dedicated Engineering Division is working more closely than ever with its engineering clients, supplying temporary and contract staff, and increasingly, finding skilled and experienced engineers at every level to join companies on a more permanent basis. Rubicon People works with more than 100 engineering companies in Dorset alone.

by ANN SYMES

Quay Development Coaching

So you’ve done all the right things. You have a fantastic product or service to offer, you have all the appropriate marketing and sales areas covered, what more can you do? Extra profit that can be earned just by looking after the people you work with. People are the most expensive asset that any company has. However, most companies do not make sure the health of this asset is made the most of. Look at your product/ service, evaluate the cost of your marketing, sales and maintenance of equipment, then ask yourself: In comparison to my staff how much do they cost? How much do I spend maintaining the equipment,

the computer, the cars, the marketing and sales profile? The answer could be quantified in both money and time, but when you have the answer to those two questions ask another: How much do I spend on my staff (or myself?) Without people, none of the other parts of a business will work and in the current economic climate you cannot afford not to look after your people. Each member of your team needs to be nurtured to grow and develop so they can be the best they can be. As the lifeblood of your business your people can turn your surviving business into a thriving business. Leadership and development of people in business makes sense. Just do it!

How Google’s frequent changes affect your SEO G oogle, the king of search engines, has made some huge changes to the way it does its stuff. Most small business owners already have trouble with the concept that search engine rankings never stay the same – your site’s position within Google can fluctuate dramatically and without regular SEO work will likely drop off the end of the world. How then do you get your head around the fact that, despite consistent and careful SEO, your site has still disappeared from that all-important first page of Google? Your SEO used to work, now it doesn’t. Your instinct no doubt is to do more, but don’t! In fact, whatever you have been doing, stop now! It’s not you, it’s Google...

Having hand-coded his first website in 1997 and immediately immersed himself in online marketing, Dr Ian Smith pioneered the use of search engine optimisation to improve Google rankings. But the SEO landscape is changing all the time and in this monthly column he looks at what it means for your business

The clever bods at Google are constantly updating the algorithm used to allocate page ranking – it changes up to 500 times a year. Most of these alterations have little or no impact on your rankings, but every now and then along comes a big one. And the recent changes were massive, causing dramatic changes to website rankings and requiring a complete overhaul of SEO strategies. In 12 years of studying SEO I have never known a change like it. Google appears to be on a mission

to bypass unsophisticated SEO and reward good, informative, well-written and frequently refreshed content on popular, active websites. Many factors in good SEO have remained, but make no mistake – these changes have turned the SEO world upside down and it is a good idea to understand these before continuing your SEO campaign. For now, remember that Google is penalising mass production of pointless, low quality links so keep it real and keep it relevant! seekernews.co.uk 23


seekerNews

A hive of information I by WARREN MUNSON Inspire Professional Services

f you can answer yes to any of the following questions then your business may be lacking essential information: z Does your monthly information only consist of a print out of the profit and loss account and balance sheet from your accounting system? z Does your accounting process produce so much data (typically on reams of paper in a font size that is so small that you need a magnifying glass to see it) that it is impossible to achieve a concise understanding of how well your business is performing? z Or, even more critically, are you running your business blind with no information at all? If your business falls into one of these categories then at best you are producing simple data and are certainly not producing worthwhile business information. Inspire has recently launched a

Strategic Services team to help businesses truly understand the critical questions that drive their business and put in place the business systems that produce real business information. The information we provide will enable you to answer questions such as: z What parts of your business perform best and what areas should be reduced or divested? z Which products make money and which products lose money? z How is your company performing against your business plan or last year? z Which of your customers are profitable? z What is your best source of business? z What are the Key Performance Indicators that drive success and how are you performing against those drivers? z Do you have enough liquidity to grow? Recently we helped a business understand that in order to achieve a

five per cent growth in turnover it had created a 12.5 per cent increase in staff costs, thereby undermining the net profitability of the business. That extra turnover had been bought at too high a cost for that business. When you have the key information to understand the building blocks of your current successes and the underlying issues behind your business headaches then you have the power of information. You know what to build upon to grow your business and achieve greater success in the future. The Inspire Strategic Services Team are your partners to help you every step of the way.

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18/04/2012 09:54


seekerNews

Nurture the relationship

A

s a fresh-faced cub reporter back in the late 1970s a sharp eye for a story and a jam-packed contacts book were your two greatest assets. Keeping those contacts ‘sweet’ depended on regular communication and an understanding that the relationship had to work both ways. You got good stories for the paper and your contact got their message across. Easy? Not always. Mistakes could be made and the finished product – if it even made it into the paper – could potentially damage the relationship. I clearly recall returning home one day with a bottle of wine from one happy contact... and a severe verbal kicking still ringing in my ears from another. If you are that contact, responding to a positive result – or a negative one – will determine how the relationship moves forward. Certainly, if you’re happy, you’ll make the newspaper even happier by

Neal Butterworth, Editor-in-Chief of the Bournemouth Daily Echo for 13 years, now runs Neal Butterworth Media and his seminars centre on his 12 Golden Rules for working with the local media. This is the fifth of his Seeker News columns highlighting the rules and taking a sideways look at the media

looking at ways to support their own business, through advertising in print or on the website. Try to tie that advertising in with your editorial support, but never assume that having them in the paper on the same day works and forget having them placed close to each other. Of course, there’s nothing to stop you using the age-old commercial feature route – ad spend tied in with attached editorial – but your relationship with the editorial team ends up slightly different. If things have gone wrong, the toys leaving your pram shouldn’t be expelled in a haphazard or emotional fashion. The mistake has been made and unless it’s irretrievable, turn the situation round to support your needs.

So bully in the nicest possible way to have it put right and encourage regular contact with the reporter in the future, but with no harassment! Creating a mutually beneficial link between you and your business or organisation and the media depends on the regular contact you have and how you can help them help you. So talk when it’s needed, but make life easy by supplying well-presented, breezy press releases on a regular basis. Visit www.nealbutterworth.co.uk for details of Neal Butterworth Media’s services.

The Socialympics

Take or leave it?

by SAMUEL ADAMS

by DEBBIE COHEN

Direct2Digital

At the Olympic Games in London, the official motto of “swifter, higher, stronger” is being supplemented by a new label – the “Socialympics”. In the four years since the Beijing Games, use of social media platforms has surged. Facebook has gone from about 100 million active users to about 900 million, Twitter from 6 million to about 150 million. Many more people now have smartphones, so they can react immediately to something they have seen in a stadium, arena, court, pool, ring or velodrome.

All of this has created opportunities for the Olympic organisers, sponsors, participants and spectators. This time around, there is an Olympic Athletes’ Hub online that helps fans find and follow competitors’ Twitter feeds and Facebook pages. The International Olympic Committee also has its own Twitter account and Facebook page. Your business does not need to be of Olympic proportions to become a social media athlete. With the right strategy, social media will build your brand awareness at a rate not available from any other marketing media.

Streetwise HR

There has been much talk around the issue of sickness and annual leave and recent cases have confirmed that if a worker is sick during authorised annual leave then they should be allowed to change this to sick leave and take the annual leave at a later date. This is regardless of whether the period of sickness begins before the annual leave starts, or during it. So employees who fall sick before or during a scheduled period of annual leave and who would otherwise not be able to take their full statutory entitlement should be permitted to take the holiday at a later date. At the moment many employees that are sick whilst on annual leave

do not realise they can have their leave reallocated. This will change and there will be more and more requests for this as we move forward. It may be very easy for this to be abused as how can you prove that an employee is off sick? The short answer is: you can’t! However, you can ensure your employees know that if they wish to do this, they should follow the usual procedure for reporting sickness absence, as outlined in the employee handbook. You must then ensure they self-certify or provide a doctor’s certificate. And let them know that they will need to attend a return to work interview when they are back at work. seekernews.co.uk 25


26 seekernews.co.uk


SeekerMotoring Not many drivers will mind getting bitten by two new bugs this summer as Volkswagen launch a pair of new Beetles – a 2.0-litre 140 PS TDI turbodiesel engine, or a 2.0-litre 200 PS TSI turbocharged petrol engine. The latter is enough to propel this bug from 0 to 62 mph in just 7.5 seconds and on to 139 mph, while the TDI takes a far from sluggish 9.5 seconds and can reach 123 mph. Of equal interest, however, will be its 57.6 mpg combined economy, and 129 g/km of CO2 rating. Both new versions are available with a choice of six-speed manual or six-speed DSG gearboxes. The TDI comes in either mid-level Design or top-line Sport trim; and the TSI 200 PS model is available in Sport or special-edition Turbo Black and Turbo Silver. The Sport adds 18-inch alloys in a choice of styles, tinted glass, cruise control, sports seats, parking sensors, gloss black door mirrors, gloss black dashboard and door panel and 2Zone electronic climate control. The 2.0-litre TSI 200 PS Sport model uniquely comes with certain specification highlights over and above all other models. These include: fourlink rear suspension, twin chromed exhausts, red brake calipers and a body-coloured rear diffuser.

Emissions impossible?

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ompany owners thinking of changing their vehicles for this month’s new registration may want to think about taking advantage of tax breaks for low emissions transport. Low carbon transport was one of the main beneficiaries in George Osborne’s Budget in March, with the announcement of new tax breaks for green fleets. Speaking in his Budget address, the Chancellor outlined plans to incentivise fuel efficient fleets by extending the 100 per cent first year capital allowance on low emission business cars for two years to March 2015 and dropping the CO2 eligibility threshold. But Ian Govier, tax director at Inspire Professional Services says the changes will make company cars more expensive than ever for both employers and employees unless the vehicles fall within the lowest emissions level. “All fleet owners should review their fleet policy to determine whether or not their fleet is cost effective and to look at other, more tax efficient ways

of funding employee motoring,” he says.

Opting out

Drivers want car manufacturers to go back to basics and do away with lengthy, often expensive, options lists. As manufacturers trim costs, many models now appear without practical features that were once standard, such as two reversing lights and a temperature gauge, but an AA/ Populus poll of 21,202 AA members shows basic features are more highly valued than premium options like heated seats or rain-sensing wipers.

Cars recording emissions of 110g CO2/km qualify, but this drops to 95g/ km from April next year, meaning only the most efficient and zero carbon cars will qualify. At that date the main rate of capital allowances for business cars will also fall from 160g/km to 130g/ km, to exclude the most polluting vehicles.

“While customers benefit from the savings that the manufacturers can pass on by removing some of these features, our members tell us it’s gone too far on some models and they want practical over frills,” says AA patrol of the year, Andy Smith.

Company car tax rates are also being changed to promote low emission vehicles to business owners. The percentage list price subject to tax will increase by one per cent for cars emitting more than 75g/km to a maximum of 35 per cent in 2014-15; and by two per cent to a maximum of 37 per cent in both 2015-16 and 2016-17.

Average used car prices are at their lowest level since 2010, according to the Auto Trader Retail Price Index.

Meanwhile, from April 2016, the government will remove the three percentage point diesel supplement differential so that cars running diesel, which per litre produces higher emissions than petrol, will be subject to the same level of tax as petrol cars.

Used bargains

The second quarter saw a five per cent drop in average used car prices, falling to £8,620, mainly due to more older cars being available as drivers keep their cars for longer. Some 73 per cent of cars on the roads are now more than three years old, a trend which could see less strain on expenses like car insurance for drivers of older cars. The survey of 2,215 motorists reveals 63 per cent believe running a car is the aspect of their lives most affected by the recession, even above mortgage payments and job security. seekernews.co.uk 27


SeekerCharity

A wheel difference

A donation from Dorchester-based Magna Housing Association means nine new wheelchairs are being offered for loan by Dorset Red Cross. The association gave £1,000 from its community initiative fund for the wheelchairs, which will be available from the Red Cross Centre at Poundbury. “This will make a difference to a lot of people are we are very grateful to Magna for their help,” says care in the home team leader Jane Hutchings. “Lots of Magna’s sheltered housing residents use our wheelchair loan service as do people who come out of hospital and might need a wheelchair but don’t qualify for one long-term.” Last year the Red Cross helped 3,500 people across Dorset by loaning wheelchairs and other medical equipment. Call 01305 215951 to find out more about borrowing items.

Care home raiser

A Poole care home has won praise after it helped raise more than £1,500 for the Youth Cancer Trust (YCT). Colten Care’s Canford Chase home in Branksome Park hosted a vintage fashion show organised by Bournemouth-based ethical fashion organisation, WeDoReDo. More than 70 people attended the event, which also included street dancers, a display of beachwear, handmade Mexican jewellery and a finger buffet. John Mitchell, the YCT’s Fundraising Co-ordinator, said Colten Care homes had raised thousands of pounds for the charity with Canford Chase playing an especially big part. For details visit at www.youthcancertrust .org

Sardinia cycle

A team from Bournemouth-based building surveyors Bennington Green cycled from Castle Point shopping centre to Sardinia last month. The thousand mile ride was in aid of South East Dorset Community Accessible Transport (SEDCAT), which provides local transport for the elderly and infirm. The team of ten had raised more than £5,500 before they left on August 2.

Saddling up

Cyclists from the Canford Cliffs office of Berkeleys estate agents were due to take part in a charity ride from Poole to Weymouth in aid of the Estate Agency Foundation (EAF) on August 27. Jon Cooke, president of the Guild of Professional Estate Agents, and member Sean Newman were cycling 3,000 miles around the UK’s coastline in the Great British Property Cycle, a 32-stage event. 28 seekernews.co.uk

Wrecks out with a bang

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angers taking part in the Air and a Prayer Rally from Dorset to Scotland have helped smash the Julia’s House fundraising record. The rally team raised an astonishing £43,000 – the largest sum of money ever raised for the charity from a single event. Community Fundraising Manager Lin Hudswell said: “We are totally thrilled at what Baron and Sarah Cole and all their friends have achieved. To cap it all, they had great fun doing it. “The tremendous effort of the Air

Bournemouth-based charity, BCHA helped 190 people find employment last year. As well as guiding 45 people into volunteering opportunities and 268 people to achieve at least one accredited certificate, BCHA is looking to help even more people find employment this year through the

and a Prayer Rally team will fund a paediatric nurse for a year and more. An amount like this is so rare for us. I wish we had a Baron fundraising for us every month!” The rally – 62 drivers and partners, in cars worth less than £300 – left Canford Arena to drive the 470 miles to the banks of Loch Lomond, with one stop overnight in Wigan. The customised cars were not only on their last legs, they were on their last lap, too, as they were all scrapped at the end of their epic journey. launch of a new training academy – Sequal Enterprises. The academy will be open to anyone looking to access qualification training for personal and professional development. The academy will be based in Pokesdown and will be opening in the autumn.


SeekerCharity

Golfers get the hole story about sight loss ‘Blind’ putting contest offers unique insight

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olfers had a chance to find out what it would be like to play their favourite sport if they had to live with severe sight loss when Dorset Blind Association hosted a putting contest with a difference at Ferndown Golf Course. The ‘blind’ putting competition was part of a golf day organised by Renaissance Business Networking in aid of Julia’s House, Hope FM and Dorset Blind Association. Pairs of golfers took part in the six-hole putting mini-tournament, playing three holes without visual impairment and three holes wearing simi-specs to simulate age-related macular degeneration, which affects the central vision, forcing the golfers to use only their peripheral vision to putt. “The idea was to bring home to people just how much they take their sight for granted,” says John Andrews, chair of trustees at Dorset Blind Association, which helps up to 1,000 blind or partially sighted people in Dorset each month. “The simi-specs can be set up to simulate a range of impairments, but we worked with the golf pro at Ferndown to choose a setting that made life difficult but not impossible so the golfers had to adjust the way they stood in order to see the hole clearly and then again to see the ball at their feet.” Prizes were awarded to golfers for the best overall score and the best showing with simi-specs. Having had a brief, but disconcerting taste of life without their usual sight, the golfers were able to try simi-specs simulating a range of other severe conditions. “It was very difficult to putt wearing the simi specs. I certainly had to concentrate more,” says Andy Pedrick of Jurassic Jaunts. “I had no idea what it would be like. It certainly makes you think about how much we take for granted and gives you a new respect for those who live with sight loss.”

Six local firms got together to tee up a £2,500 boost for a charity supporting leukaemia sufferers. Top Dorset club Remedy Oak hosted the Big 6 LEAF Charity Golf Day, attracting more than 50 of the county’s top building and construction business people who helped raise the cash for Wimborne-based Leukaemia

Alex Gibson taking part in the ‘blind’ putting contest

Dorset Blind Association works to help people with sight loss of all ages across Dorset. The charity receives no state funding so if you would like to help it please contact 01202 712869 or visit www.dorsetblind.org.uk or send a donation to 17 Bournemouth Road, Lower Parkstone, Poole BH14 0EF.

Educating And Fundraising (LEAF) through a raffle and auction. The inaugural golf day was organised by Nationwide Direct (NDUK), Direct Material Supplies (DMS), Wessex Macadams, Ford Civil Engineering, Avon Material Supplies and Commercial Recycling. “Next year we hope to double the

number of guests and money raised,” says Garry Foley, MD of NDUK. Jay Martin, director of Ford Civil Engineering, adds: “We are hoping that days like this will help to strengthen local and reciprocal business relationships.” Visit www.leafcharity.com for more details. seekernews.co.uk 29


SeekerArts

Bestival Shiny, happy

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e’re a funny lot, us Britons. Scent of a cock up and we’re in like Flynn. How we relished the comforting predictability of a penalty shoot out exit from the Euros, the Jubilee would have been pretty good if it hadn’t been for the damp squib of a water pageant and the Duke going down with a bladder infection. As for the Olympics, well... But hang on, for all the pre-Games angst about G4S, trademark cops and legacy, the opening ceremony snatched a home draw from the jaws of defeat – even Paul McCartney being a bit rubbish couldn’t spoil it.

Riding the euphoria of that Olympic opening weekend, what could possibly go wrong for Camp Bestival? In truth, not a lot. The sun shone all weekend on Britain’s nicest festival as 30,000 people had a ball in the shadow of Lulworth Castle. It all started on Friday afternoon with a shot of olde English dissent as hoary troublemaker Keith Allen presented his anti-Olympics opera Will Cliff Be There? Accompanied by former Black Grape rapper Kermit and others, Keith gave the Olympics great balls of ire, imagining how the torch had sucked up the anger of a nation before laying waste to the Olympic Stadium and forcing the Games to be played out on school fields and village

Budgies in space Shortly before Rolf Harris took the stage, a pair of crocheted budgies were launched into space to help raise help raise funds for Children’s Hospice South West. Two little birds, securely attached to their spaceship, were lifted into the skies above the festival grounds by a gigantic helium balloon as an on-board camera beamed images back to the Camp Bestival big screen. The balloon reached a height of 127,000 feet before it exploded and the budgies gently parachuted back to Earth, landing on the roof of a village pub called The Cuckoo Pint in Stubbington, Hampshire. Launched last year the Bestival Foundation raises funds and awareness for good causes in Dorset and the Isle of Wight where Camp Bestival’s big sister event, Bestival, is based. 30 seekernews.co.uk

words: NICK CHURCHILL pictures: STEVE COOK greens. Unknowingly it foreshadowed Danny Boyle’s opening ceremony, which rather softened Allen’s thunder, but was a laudably audacious attempt to go against the grain. Adam Ant, on the other hand, is bidding to get right back in the grain with his resuscitated pirate act and a new band, The Good, The Mad & the Lovely. He gives it loads, trots out the hits plus a bonus Get It On and gets off on a genuinely affectionate reception. A trouper to be sure. Saturday brought a best of the Bestival set from Nile Rodgers’ current incarnation of Chic (the disco auteur had been just as


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gripping in conversation in the Little Big Top earlier) that topped a day’s merry making in the sunshine. Mr Tumble had kicked off the main stage, Rizzle Kicks had thrilled their young devotees, Jimmy Cliff reliably jollied up grown ups, the Cuban Brothers’ off-colour gags made the parents wince, knights jousted, the Insect Circus acrobats astounded all and everything stopped for the Chapel service. Sunday was noticeably quieter all round, but Lianne La Havas did her best to raise spirits, Rolf Harris did his best to be heard as the wind stole most of his set and carried it off towards the Purbeck

hills behind, a couple got sort-of married in the chapel, Russell Kane read his book out loud, The Moonflowers gave their all to a sparsely populated Big Top and Happy Mondays huffed and puffed their way through a closing set that, for all the piquant recollections it triggered was pretty short on the bite, bile and sneer that once made them roar. And if there was any doubt, the rapturous reception reserved for the closing fireworks and animation extravaganza projected on the Castle walls confirmed gazing at the sky through rainbow eyes has long since lost its appeal.

Editor’s comment The last time I went to a festival (Glastonbury 1998) I was so badly traumatised by the Somme-like experience that I avoided them like the plague for the next 14 years. So what better re-introduction than the unlikely setting of Lulworth Castle for the fourth Camp Bestival and as apt as the name is, it could also go by the moniker of Famfest, Kidfest or even Funfest. I can’t think of a more family friendly way of introducing your kids to festivals than soaking up the sunshine, some goodtime music and all manner of oddities in

the grounds of a Dorset castle. OK, so Rizzle Kicks ignoring fans backstage was unnecessary but meeting Dick and Dom and Rolf Harris were great for the kids; my eight-year-old daughter, Sadie, even felt moved to thank Camp Bestival founder Rob da Bank personally for the weekend. The moment perfectly encapsulated the spirit of the event that brought 30,000 folks to a small corner of Purbeck – more than enough to give Wareham a very happy Monday as Campers drifted away

Indeed, bills, frills and mortgage payments replaced pills, thrills and bellyaches years ago, but the continued success of Camp Bestival clearly testifies it’s great when you’re straight. Yeah! Early bird tickets are already available for next year’s Camp Bestival (August 1-4), with new payment programmes that mean adult tickets can be bought for £5 a week. Details at www.campbestival.net To view more photos and video of the closing fireworks, visit www.seekernews. co.uk/bestival2012

by Steve Cook the morning after Shaun Ryder’s mob had closed the weekend. Incredibly, Seeker News has received reports of businesses less than happy with all the extra trade. It’s not as if the area isn’t used to tourists. For all that they import their audiences, I fail to see how festivals such as Camp Bestival, Purbeck Folk, Swanage Blues, the End of the Road and the Larmer Tree can be anything but good news for their host communities. Too much like hard work? You’re twisting my melons man! seekernews.co.uk 31


SeekerArts

review

Public Image Ltd

O2 Academy, Bournemouth

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t gladdened the heart to look around the audience for PiL’s Bournemouth debut and see so many survivors – the sum total of human experience gathered together in the resurrected Victorian splendour of Boscombe’s old Grand Theatre would make quite a story. Here were the very people confounded by the burghers of Bournemouth when they banned the Sex Pistols’ Anarchy tour from the Village Bowl in 1976*. Many of them would have been at Poole Arts Centre in November 1983 when John Lydon toured a somewhat ravaged incarnation of Public Image Ltd as This is Not A Love Song delivered the band their biggest UK hit single. They gathered again, middle-aged, tummies spread, hair thinned, but still curious and ultimately delighted to see Lydon validate his unstinting belief in the power of PiL with a lengthy set (“We’re just getting going,’ he taunted after 90 minutes) characterised by bass-driven dub

extemporisation conducted by the singer and decorated with his distinctive yodel.

in sleepy little Bournemouth and, at one point, railed against some unpleasantness in front of the stage.

It was as if John knew what his people would want. The pre-gig music was kept to a level that allowed old faces to talk, swap tales, brag and eye each other up, the band’s no-frills entrance absolutely encompassing Lydon’s lifelong anti-rock stance.

Newer material suffers only from a lack of recognition, but given 30-odd years songs like One Drop and Deeper Water will no doubt bed in more fully.

And so to the music… Ten-minute rumbles on Warrior and Albatross set the tone as PiL delved into the heart of their archive and pulled out some real sweet plums including Low Life, Love Song, Religion, Flowers of Romance and Shine that shook the building to its depths, so much so it was easy to imagine the ghosts of the lions that once prowled the basement cages (yes, really) start to roar again, recognising a kindred spirit above. And all the while John teased, taunted, sermonised, threw shapes, joked about Somalian drug lords losing their heads

Other acts (Banshees, Cure, Massive Attack, Portishead) would no doubt acknowledge their debt, but ever the outsiders (Lydon wouldn’t have it any other way), PiL are serving to remind us of our testy past and laying down a marker that it’s about time they were given their due. Nick Churchill *Hey, punk pickers… An original tour poster for the Village Bowl date on December 7, 1976 sold for $5,000 on eBay in May. The support bands for the tour were The Clash, The Damned and Johnny Thunders & the Heartbreakers – would have been quite some show!

Following universal praise for his first post-Oasis album, Noel Gallagher brings his High Flying Birds to town for their Bournemouth debut this month. It’ll be something of a homecoming for drummer Jeremy Stacey who cut his musical teeth alongside twin brother guitarist Paul (ironically Oasis’ touring keyboards player and studio engineer for several years in the late 1990s) in a variety of breathtaking improvisational jazz line ups in Bournemouth. September 4 Windsor Hall, BIC 0844 576 3000 www.bic.co.uk

picture: STEVE COOK 32 seekernews.co.uk


SeekerArts

picture: STEVE COOK

Bournemouth’s Arts by the Sea Festival brings more than 100 arts-related events to various venues in the town, based on a theme of Journeys. The Festival opens on September 29 when, from noon, the town centre becomes a hub of arts activity including light trails, animations, sculptures, outdoor performances,

digital art, 3D mapping, urban street dance and guerilla dining experiences. Live appearances include The Girls duo who met at art college at Shelley Park, The Regular Joes and The Cabinet of Living Cinema (pictured), the film/music collective formed by Keiron Maguire, son of former BSO leader Jack Maguire. Other Festival highlights include

British Sea Power performing at the live cinema screening of From the Sea to the Land Beyond, live animation from The Paper Odyssey and The Modern Prometheus, a series of events inspired by Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein at Shelley Manor. September 29-October 29 Various venues www.artsbournemouth.org.uk/festival seekernews.co.uk seekernews.co.uk33


SeekerSport

‘Inactivity

kills so get moving’

SeekerNews offer: 40% off a personal training package with Body In Motion

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ith Britain still in the grip of Olympic fever, Bournemouth-based sport physiotherapist Anne-Marie Samuel is determined to do her bit to make sure the spectacle of the Games has a more lasting impact. A recent report found lack of exercise is now causing as many deaths as smoking. Published in The Lancet, the report says a third of adults do not do enough exercise, resulting in 5.3 million deaths from diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and breast and colon cancer. Now Anne-Marie, of Body In Motion, is offering three Seeker News readers a massive 40 per cent off a personal training package. “Exercising has nothing to do with

looking good and everything to do with living longer – it’s as simple as that,” says Anne-Marie. “There is compelling evidence that people are dying which is really very sad when prevention is so easy and so accessible to everyone. “That’s why Body In Motion is running this offer, so let’s get moving!” Anne-Marie is concerned local people do not take exercise seriously enough. “Exercise is not just about the gym – it could be taking the stairs instead of the lift, gardening, tennis, lawn bowls, walking along the beach or through the park, dancing or yoga. If you make it a weekly event with a friend you will be more likely to do it and to enjoy it.

Cherries legend Harry Redknapp cut the ribbon on the club’s new training facilities last month. The former Spurs, Portsmouth and Southampton manager, who started his managerial career at AFC Bournemouth in the 1980s, unveiled the new Kings Park base with Cherries’ manager Paul Groves and chairman Eddie Mitchell. The facility compromises two full-sized natural grass pitches to the exact specification of the Goldsands Stadium surface, as well as two 3G pitches. 34 seekernews.co.uk

Anne-Marie Samuel running on the beach at Boscombe

“We don’t all have to be Olympic athletes, but just doing 40 minutes of moderate exercise a few times a week is enough to significantly reduce your chances of developing a range of preventable diseases. “The Olympic Games are wonderfully inspiring to watch, but let’s make sure our enjoyment doesn’t stop at watching sport – let’s get up and move as well!” Body In Motion is offering three Seeker News readers a 40 per cent discount on a personal training package of their choice. To be in with a chance of winning, simply visit www.seekernews.co.uk/getfit to enter. Three winners will be chosen at random after the closing date, September 30.


seekersport

Homeless hope

A former homeless football coach has netted a dream job in the USA teaching American youngsters how to play the beautiful game. Teenager Scott Woodford says his time at Raglan Housing’s Quay Foyer hostel in Poole helped him settle after being forced to leave his family home. The 19-year-old former AFC Bournemouth apprentice coach is now embarking on a 12-week trip coaching football in Oklahoma state. Quay Foyer offers temporary accommodation to young men and women aged 16-25 years who find themselves homeless.

Outside the box

Poole ABC boxers Kevin Thorniley and Mike Diffey set out to raise £1,000 in a five-hour boxathon in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support on August 25. The friends, who both belong to Poole ABC, planned to box 100 two minute rounds with a minute’s rest in between. “My mum endured endless tests and radiotherapy during her illness,” says Kev, who has been boxing for 18 years. “What I am doing is nothing compared to what she went through – she is my inspiration.”

Having moved from its former home at Sandbanks, Windfest Re-Tuned will transform the grounds and private beach of Hampshire’s Pylewell Park into an extreme water and land sports playground from September 14-16. Sports demonstrations from leading professionals in kitesurfing, windsurfing, wakeboarding, BMX, skateboarding, slacklining, paddleboarding, volleyball and Frisbee will be staged daily, with plenty of opportunities for ticketholders to have a go. There’s also Stand Up Paddleboarding (SUP)

yoga on the tranquil lake, mountain biking through oak trees and foraging for fruits of the forest with local food producers. The egg and spoon race is due to make a comeback for the Kids Games, along with welly throwing, face painting, Kite-making and golf. “We are pleased to provide our festival goers with a unique experience not found at any festival in the UK,” says Windfest organiser and founder Gary Willingham. Details at www.windfest.co.uk

Get ready for more sport L

aunching this month, Seeker Sport is a 32-page full colour glossy monthly sports magazine.

Backed by AFC Bournemouth and Poole Pirates, the magazine features stunning photographs, gripping stories, news, features and interviews from the world of sport in Dorset. Available to buy at Cherries’ Goldsands Stadium and Poole Stadium, Seeker Sport is the ideal companion at half-time, full-time and before the match.

picture: STeve COOk seekernews.co.uk 35


seekerNews

Site M.O.T. • Corporate Identity • Brand Building • Literature • Advertising • Multimedia • Packaging

Make your website work Most websites under-perform. Our website M.O.T. will help you ensure yours isn’t one of them.

• Signage • Web Development • Design & Hosting • Search Optimisation • E-commerce

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Contact Ann Hobden to discuss how we can make a difference to your business. 01202 700443 ideas@bluewaterweb.co.uk www.bluewaterweb.co.uk


SeekerSocialDiary

Bournemouth Property Association July 20, The Print Room, Bournemouth

Michael Lethbridge, Kathryn Cook, Ianthe Slinger, Stewart Baynham

Claire Kitchener, Carlie O’Neill, Lucy Maidman, Alex Eaton

Ian Govier, Maria Seabright, Jacqueline Entwistle

Simon Welsh, Carlie O’Neill

Ann Evans, Peter Hastrop, Mark Walken, Robert Dunford

Paul Belfield, Chris Kane, Richard Armstrong

Nigel Soloman, Michelle Hayter, Kerry Houston-Kypta

Malcolm Pitcher, Sophie Morris

Steve Cook, Martin Edwards, Mike Bartlett

DCCI July Networking Lunch July 11, The Norfolk Royale, Bournemouth

Shelly Alger, Sammy Baker, Heather Ainsworth

Sylvie Wilson, Steve Cook

Lorna Trent, Simon Scarborough

Lisa Melia, Laura Fox

Peter Scott, Chris Steele, Perry Jeandren

Mike Clark, Alex Foster

Alison Shelton, Linda Smith

The Work Shop Team with Peter Scott (Shelly Alger, Heather Ainsworth, Phil Harmsworth, Sammy Baker, Debbie Surridge, Nikki Errington, Peter Scott)

Rebecca Osborne, Emily Goodyer

seekernews.co.uk 37


seekersocialDiary

Olympics party hosted by Battens Solicitors, Weymouth College & Open4Business August 5, Bincleaves Conference Centre, Weymouth

Leanne Weatherill, Howard and Sarah Johnson

Henry Hobhouse, Edward Thompson, Rich Holloway and Anja Strumble

Carl Cochrane, Peter Livingstone, Keira Stone and Ben Mills

Molly Rennie and Gareth Jones

Tim Croft, Dawn Gallie and Maria Brindley

Graham and Helen Hughes

Free downloads of all images on these pages from www.seekernews.co.uk/photos

events listings SEPTEMBER 5 6pm Forum Rural-Net – Setting goals for success, Hall & Woodhouse Brewery Centre, Blandford Forum, DT11 9LS Chris Darlow, chris.darlow@wsxenterprise.co.uk, 01202 607541 SEPTEMBER 6 6pm DJC – Meet and Drink, Hot Rocks, Bournemouth Nikki Janes, nicola@djc.org.uk SEPTEMBER 6 7pm Lewis-Manning Hospice – A Ladies Night not to feel guilty about, £10 with drinks, canapes and demonstrations on how to maintain your car, Magna Mazda, Canford Cliffs, Poole Sally Goodenough, sally@lewis-manning.co.uk, 01202 701000 SEPTEMBER 10 6pm LV=Streetwise – Streetwise Business with special guest Adrian Whiting QPM, LV=Streetwise, Unit 1 Roundways, Elliot Road, Bournemouth, BH11 8JJ Chris Odell, chris.odell@streetwisebusiness.co.uk, 01202 805011 SEPTEMBER 11 6pm Hardy Rural-Net – Essential tips in customer care, Kingston Maurward College, Dorchester, DT2 8PY Chris Darlow, chris.darlow@wsxenterprise.co.uk, 01202 607541

KEY

DJC Dorset Junior Chamber

To receive Seeker News hot off the press each month sign up online now at seekernews.co.uk/subscribe

SEPTEMBER 11 6pm DJC Training – Using Linked In, The Cottonwood Boutique Hotel, Bournemouth Nikki Janes, nicola@djc.org.uk SEPTEMBER 12 12pm DCCI Networking Lunch, Branksome Beach Restaurant, Poole Sylvie Wilson, sylvie.wilson@dcci.co.uk, 01202 714805 SEPTEMBER 13 6pm East Dorset Rural-Net – Grow your business – Top Ten Tips, Canford Magna Golf Club, Wimborne, BH21 3AS Chris Darlow, chris.darlow@wsxenterprise.co.uk, 01202 607541

SEPTEMBER 26 4pm Business Essentials – Free Workshop ‘ How to Innovate’, Bournemouth & Poole College, The Lansdowne, Bournemouth be@thecollege.co.uk, 01202 205500 SEPTEMBER 26 6pm Marshwood Rural-Net – Setting goals for success, Highlands End, Eype, Bridport, DT6 6AR Chris Darlow, chris.darlow@wsxenterprise.co.uk, 01202 607541

SEPTEMBER 19 6pm North Dorset Rural-Net – Strategies for growth, The Olive Bowl, Gillingham, SP8 4PX Chris Darlow, chris.darlow@wsxenterprise.co.uk, 01202 607541

SEPTEMBER 27 8am Business Bites – Free information on grants and initiatives to benefit your business, Bournemouth & Poole College, North Road, Poole be@thecollege.co.uk, 01202 205500

SEPTEMBER 20 – 6pm Abbey Rural-Net – Grow your business – top ten tips, The Eastbury Hotel, Sherborne, DT9 3BY Chris Darlow, chris.darlow@wsxenterprise.co.uk, 01202 607541

SEPTEMBER 28 12pm BCF Lunch, Cafe Shore, Sandbanks Ann Lampitt, ann@bizzcomm.biz, 01202 656100

SEPTEMBER 20 6pm DJC Meet and Drink – Wine Tasting with Templar wines, Banana Wharf, Poole Nikki Janes, nicola@djc.org.uk

SEPTEMBER 29 6.30pm Julia’s House Enchanted Garden Ball, £90 with three course dinner, Walled Garden, Upton House, Linda Green, linda.green@juliashouse.org, 01202 644220

DCCI Dorset Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Coming soon, the Seeker Business Club offers sociable networking with likeminded businesses across the region. Alternating between breakfast and lunch, the monthly club will meet on rotation in Christchurch, Bournemouth, Poole and further afield. Free and discounted places available to Seeker News advertisers. To register your interest, email steve@seeker.uk.com 38 seekernews.co.uk

SEPTEMBER 25 8am DCCI Shore Start Breakfast, Cafe Shore, Sandbanks Sylvie Wilson, sylvie.wilson@dcci.co.uk, 01202 714805

IoD Institute of Directors


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40 seekernews.co.uk


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